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and rabbis hounded the people on to stone me！ See；
here is the mark of it to this day！〃 and with a sudden
move she pulled up the gauzy wrapping on her rounded
arm； and pointed to a little scar that showed red
against its milky beauty。 I shrank back horrified。
〃Pardon me； O queen；〃 I said； 〃but I am bewildered。
Nigh upon two thousand years have rolled across the
earth since the Jewish Messiah hung upon his cross at
Golgotha。 How then canst thou have taught thy
philosophy to the Jews before he was？ Thou art a
woman； and no spirit。 How can a woman live two
thousand years？ Why dost thou befool me； O queen？〃
_i_ She _i_ leaned back on the couch； and once more I
felt the hidden eyes playing upon me and searching out
my heart。
〃O man！〃 she said at last； speaking very slowly and
deliberately； 〃it seems that there are still things
upon the earth of which thou knowest naught。 Dost thou
still believe that all things die； even as those very
Jews believed？ I tell thee that naught really dies。
There is no such thing as Death； though there be a
thing called Change。 See；〃 and she pointed to some
sculptures on the rocky wall。 〃Three times two
thousand years have passed since the last of the great
race that hewed those pictures fell before the breath
of the pestilence which destroyed them； yet they are
not dead。 E'en now they live； perchance their spirits
are drawn towards us at this very hour；〃 and she
glanced round。 〃Of a surety it sometimes seems to me
that my eyes can see them。〃
〃Yes； but to the world they are dead。〃
〃Ay； for a time； but even to the world they are born
again and again。 I； yes I； Ayeshafor that is my
name； strangerI say to thee that I wait now for one
I loved to be born again； and here I tarry till he
finds me； knowing of a surety that hither he will
come； and that here； and here only； shall he greet me。
Why； dost thou suppose that I； who am all powerful； I；
whose loveliness is more than the loveliness of the
Grecian Helen； of whom they used to sing； and whose
wisdom is wider； ay； far more wide and deep than the
wisdom of Solomon the WiseI； who know the secrets of
the earth and its riches； and can turn all things to
my usesI； who have even for a while overcome Change；
that ye call Deathwhy； I say； O stranger； dost thou
think that I herd here with barbarians lower than the
beasts？〃
〃I know not；〃 I said； humbly。
〃Because I wait for him I love。 My life has perchance
been evil； I know notfor who can say what is evil
and what good？so I fear to die even if I could die；
which I cannot until mine hour comes； to go and seek
him where he is； for between us there might rise a
wall I could not climb； at least； I dread it。 Surely
easy would it be also to lose the way in seeking in
those great spaces wherein the planets wander on
forever。 But the day will come； it may be when five
thousand more years have passed； and are lost and
melted into the vault of Time； even as the little
clouds melt into the gloom of night； or it may be to…
morrow； when he； my love； shall be born again； and
then； following a law that is stronger than any human
plan； he shall find me here； where once he knew me；
and of a surety his heart will soften towards me
though I sinned against him； ay； even though he know
me not again； yet will he love me； if only for my
beauty's sake。〃
For a moment I was dumbfounded； and could not answer。
The matter。 was too overpowering for my intellect to
grasp。
〃But even so； O queen；〃 I said at last； 〃even if we
men be born again and again； that is not so with thee；
if thou speakest truly。〃 Here she looked up sharply；
and once more I caught the flash of those hidden eyes；
〃thou；〃 I went on； hurriedly； 〃who hast never died？〃
〃That is so；〃 she said； 〃and it is so because I have；
half by chance and half by learning； solved one of the
great secrets of the world。 Tell me； stranger： life
iswhy therefore should not life be lengthened for a
while？ What are ten or twenty or fifty thousand years
in the history of life？ Why in ten thousand years
scarce will the rain and storms lessen a mountain…top
by a span in thickness？ In two thousand years these
caves have not changed； nothing has changed； but the
beasts and man； who is as the beasts。 There is naught
that is wonderful about the matter； couldst thou but
understand。 Life is wonderful； ay； but that it should
be a little lengthened is not wonderful。 Nature hath
her animating spirit as well as man； who is Nature's
child； and he who can find that spirit； and let it
breathe upon him； shall live with her life。 He shall
not live eternally； for Nature is not eternal； and she
herself must die； even as the nature of the moon hath
died。 _i_ She _i_ herself must die； I say； or rather
change and sleep till it be time for her to live
again。 But when shall she die？ Not yet； I ween； and
while she lives； so shall he who hath all her secret
live with her。 All I have it not； yet have I some；
more perchance than any who were before me。 Now； to
thee I doubt not that this thing is a great mystery；
therefore I will not overcome thee with it now。
Another time will I tell thee more if the mood be on
me； though perchance I shall never speak thereof
again。 Dost thou wonder how I knew that ye were coming
to this land； and so saved your heads from the hot
pot？〃
〃Ay； O queen；〃 I answered； feebly。
〃Then gaze upon that water；〃 and she pointed to the
font like vessel； and then； bending forward； held her
hand over it。
I rose and gazed； and instantly the water darkened。
Then it cleared and I saw as distinctly as I ever saw
anything in my lifeI saw； I say； our boat upon that
horrible canal。 There was Leo lying at the bottom
asleep in it； with a coat thrown over him to keep off
the mosquitoes； in such a fashion as to hide his face；
and myself； Job； and Mahomed towing on the bank。
I stared back aghast； and cried out that it was magic；
for I recognized the whole scene； it was one which had
actually occurred；
〃Nay； nay； O Holly；〃 she answered； 〃it is no magic；
that is a fiction of ignorance。 There is no such thing
as magic； though there is such a thing as knowledge of
the secrets of Nature。 That water is my glass； in it I
see what passes if I care to summon up the pictures；
which is not often。 Therein I can show thee what thou
wilt of the past； if it be anything to do with this
country and with what I have known； or anything that
thou； the gazer； hast known。 Think of a face if thou
wilt； and it shall be reflected from thy mind upon the
water。 I know not all the secret yetI can read
nothing in the future。 But it is an old secret； I did
not find it。 In Arabia and in Egypt the sorcerers knew
it centuries ago。 So one day I chanced to bethink me
of that old canalsome twenty centuries ago I sailed
upon it； and I was minded to look thereon again。 And
so I looked； and there I saw the boat and three men
walking； and one； whose face I could not see； but a
youth of a noble form； sleeping in the boat； and so I
sent and saved ye。 And now； farewell。 But stay； tell
me of this youththe Lion； as the old man calls him。
I would look upon him； but he is sick； thou sayest
sick with the fever； and also wounded in the fray。〃
〃He is very sick；〃 I answered； sadly； 〃canst thou do
nothing for him； O queen！ who knowest so much？〃
〃Of a surety I can。 I can cure him； but why speakest
thou so sadly？ Doth thou love the youth？ Is he
perchance thy son？〃
〃He is my adopted son； O queen！ Shall he be brought in
before thee？〃
〃Nay。 How long hath the fever taken him？〃
〃This is the third day。〃
〃Good； then let him lie another day。 Then will he
perchance throw it off by his own strength； and that
is better than that I should cure him； for my medicine
is of a sort to shake the life in its very citadel。
If； however； by tomorrow night； at that hour when the
fever first took him； he doth not begin to mend； then
will I come to him and cure him。 Stay； who nurses
him？〃
〃Our white servant； him whom Billali names the Pig；
also；〃 and here I spoke with some little hesitation；
〃a woman named Ustane； a very handsome woman of this
country； who came and embraced him when first she saw
him； and hath stayed by him ever since； as I
understand is the fashion of thy people； O queen。〃
〃My people！ speak not to me of my people；〃 she
answered； hastily；…〃these slaves are no people of
mine； they are but dogs to do my bidding till the day
of my deliverance comes； and； as for their customs；
naught have I to do with them。 Also； call me not
queenI am sick of flattery and titlescall me
Ayesha； the name hath a sweet sound in mine ears； it
is an echo from the past。 As for this Ustane； I know
not。 I wonder if it be she against whom I was warned；
and whom I in turn did warn？ Hath shestay； I will
see〃； and； bending forward； she passed her hand over
the font of water and gazed intently into it。 〃See；〃
she said； quietly； 〃is that the woman？〃
I looked into the water； and there； mirrored upon its
placid surface； was the silhouette of Ustane's stately